Barack Obama ends combat mission in Iraq

BARACK Obama has ended the US combat mission in Iraq, declaring no victory after seven years of bloodshed.

From the White House’s Oval Office, where George Bush first announced the invasion that would come to define his time in office, President Obama said: “It is time to turn the page.” He added: “Our most urgent task is to restore our economy.”

But as he made the announcement, he also pledged that the United States would keep up the fight in Afghanistan – the longest war since Vietnam.

And Mr Obama will keep up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counter-terrorism training – the last forces are not due to leave until the end of 2011.

Mr Obama took pains to thank troops for their sacrifice and spoke of strained relations with allies, anger at home and a “huge price” of the highest order.

The toll includes more than 4,400 US troops dead, tens of thousands more Americans wounded, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent.